8 minute read
45 MAN eTruck
MAN on infrastructure charge
Creating a battery-electric long-haul truck is only part of the equation. For manufacturers and hauliers, the bigger problem is going to be building the infrastructure. Words: Dan Gilkes
According to MAN Truck & Bus, there will be 270,000 battery-electric trucks on Europe’s roads by 2030, as businesses start the transition from diesel to alternative propulsion. To meet this rapidly growing need, MAN will launch a range of eTrucks in 2024, designed to take on a far wider range of duties than the current crop of electric refuse vehicles and urban delivery models. Unveiled at the IAA exhibition in Hannover, MAN’s eTruck line-up will include 4x2 tractors, 4x2 rigid trucks, 6x2 rigids and 6x2 drawbar trucks, with maximum weights running from 20 tonnes for the 4x2 rigids to 42 tonnes for the tractors and drawbar models. MAN is planning tippers, curtainsiders, box bodies and yes, refuse vehicles, all of which will be built alongside their diesel counterparts on the same production lines. The company has engineered a modular battery pack at its Nuremberg engine plant, which is currently toolingup to produce more than 100,000 of the batteries a year by 2025. Tractors will be offered with 4-6 packs, while rigid chassis will be available with 3-6 packs. Two batteries replace the diesel truck’s engine and transmission within the chassis, while additional packs hang on the outside of the chassis rails, replacing fuel tanks and other ancillaries. Having a range of modular batteries will allow customers to choose between range and payload. MAN claims that a five-battery tractor for instance, will tip the scales at roughly the same weight as a diesel-powered truck. Opt for four of the batteries, which weigh around 650kg each and you can increase payload, while dropping range. Take the sixth battery and you will get the ultimate driving mileage, but with a lighter load capacity. MAN is talking about a daily driving range of 600800km, which will eventually be extended to around 1,000km as batteries develop. However, note that this is a daily range, not a battery range. The intention is
Megawatt Charging Systems
To achieve this level of charging will require Megawatt Charging Systems (MCS). A current CCS2 DC rapid charging point can provide around 350kW of power. The eTrucks will have a CCS2 input as well, as this could be sufficient for overnight depot charging. However an MCS system will deliver up to 3.5MW of charge, capable of filling the battery in just 45 minutes.
Note that this is a 100% fill, rather than the 80% rapid fill that then slows to a trickle on current passenger car batteries. MAN says that it has developed the batteries to be commercial vehicle-specific and as such they will be able to take a full charge without internal damage. This will in part be achieved through highly efficient thermal management. The battery operates at its best at around 25°C, while the driver may want an in-cab temperature of around 21°C. Conversely, the electric drive motor will be operating at around 65°C, so it is easy to see how crucial thermal management will be. This includes battery charging, especially as rapid charging inputs rise. Without adequate cooling for instance, MAN claims that a 750kW MCS rapid charger, operating at 1,000A, would lose up to 30kW of electricity in heat loss without sufficient cooling. One potential problem of multiple MCS chargers being located among trucks at an overnight parking spot, is the noise of the fans carrying out that cooling work.
MAN is currently working with fellow Traton company Scania, along with Daimler and Volvo, to develop a network of MCS charging stations across Europe. The manufacturers are also involved with the NEFTON research project, together with various universities and with charging providers, to establish the feasibility and economic viability of these ultrarapid charging stations. The company believes that even by 2030, long-haul trucking could account for up to 10% of all European electrical demand.
eTruck Drive
With batteries replacing the engine and gearbox within the chassis, the eTrucks have a permanent synchro electric motor mounted in the middle of the vehicle. This motor, which produces 300-350kW of power and more than 3,000Nm of torque, is equipped with two or four gears and it drives a conventional rear axle. The gear-changing process is automated, though manual changes are possible.
The driver selects forward or reverse in the normal way and the parking brake releases automatically as you push the throttle. The eTruck will crawl forwards or backwards once in gear, with enough power to hold the truck on an incline. This also makes it easy to manoeuvre at low speeds.
cont.
• Drivers should be able to top-up batteries during their 45-minute lunch break
In place of the diesel truck’s retarder, is a lever that adjusts the amount of braking regeneration that is created when the driver lifts off the throttle. There are five positions, from coasting with no regen, through to maximum braking effect. The regenerative braking system also comes into play when the driver presses the service brake.
The prototype test trucks were running at around 33 tonnes GVW and they accelerated rapidly and cruised almost silently. Often, without the sound of a diesel engine, you can hear the other sources of noise under the cab, however MAN has managed to virtually silence the air-compressor and other ancillary components.
Electric Ecosystem
Building the eTruck is only part of the problem, making it possible for customers to transition to electric drive is perhaps even harder. MAN has created a 360° eMobility ecosystem, that includes charging infrastructure and supply, integrated route planning software with a Plug and Charge single payment system, along with service and training to help customers with the adoption of these next generation trucks.
Companies can already try an eReady Check on the company’s website, inputting route distances, truck weights and other criteria, to see how an eTruck, or multiple vehicles, could meet their needs. Businesses can also access a 360° eMobility consultation, before undergoing a Full Fleet Assessment, once the trucks are in service. MAN can even provide the charging infrastructure, through partner companies ABB, Heliox and SBRS-Schaltbau. Once in operation, the manufacturer will follow-up with Data-based Optimisation, to ensure that hauliers are getting the most out of the eTrucks.
MAN claims that a single long-haul eTruck, covering 120,000km, has the potential to cut up to 100 tonnes of CO2 per year. It also believes that businesses could save up to €7,000 per year in fuel costs against a diesel truck, though that would have to be weighed against the initial purchasing premium. The eTrucks will be ready for sale by 2024. Creating the infrastructure to make those trucks work, may take a little longer.
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• MCS can provide around 350kW of power
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